Speaking out for youth: Kenya's experience. Advocacy for reproductive health: Kenya
Karueru, J.
Planned Parenthood Challenges 1: 31-34
1996
PMID: 12291100 Document Number: 250806
The Family Planning Association of Kenya (FPAK) and the Catholic Church agree on the problems of reproductive health among young people but disagree on the means of solving them. These problems lead to an increasing school dropout rate, unwanted pregnancies, increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse, and the breakdown of the family. In 1992 a nationwide information, education, and communication (IEC) survey undertaken by FPAK found a hostile environment against youth reproductive health programs. In response to this finding the government launched a countrywide intervention called the Kenya Youth Initiatives Project. After convincing the staff and volunteers about the necessity of this drive FPAK adopted a youth policy: to provide reproductive health information and counseling to young people aged 10-24 whether sexually active or not and to support the introduction of family life education courses in schools. A review of legislative policy analysis also showed that the country lacked a national youth policy; discrepancies existed in laws governing social and medical issues affecting youth; and the law was fuzzy on the definition of the child and youth. Most opinions leaders supported the provision of information and services to youth, therefore a leader's advocacy strategic pack was developed containing IEC materials on teenage pregnancy, AIDS, STDs, and abortion. Involving young people in this effort entailed the recruitment, training, and deployment of 39 district youth advocates whose advocacy training lasted 6 weeks. They were deployed to give presentations on sexuality and reproductive health and to distribute booklets. In 1995 the National Council for Population and Development conducted five regional population conferences where youth reproductive health was the main topic. The same year a workshop on family life education and reproductive health invited government and church leaders. The targeting of religious leaders and of the mass media became the prime focus in the advocacy efforts.